Is Rubio The Frontrunner? Ctd

It’s true that most Republicans will be even more willing to tolerate a relative moderate candidate in the 2016 cycle than they were this time, but being perceived as the relative moderate often depends on the other candidates in the field. On paper, McCain wasn’t that much of a moderate compared to his rivals, but he was perceived that way and encouraged people to think of him as such. If Jeb Bush chooses not to run, Rubio would be his obvious replacement and would likely reap the benefits of Bush’s connections. None of that means that Rubio will be the next nominee or even that he should be considered the favorite at this point, but there are fewer obstacles between him and the nomination than Enten thinks.